2014 Kia Sorento drive review

February 13, 2013

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2014 Kia Sorento

What is it?

Since the inexplicable-sounding Kia Borrego met an ignoble death, Kia's largest SUV must now perform its duty as a three-row hauler for those too cool for its minivan, the simpering Sedona. Somewhere between a mere facelift and an entirely new car, Kia insists that the 2014 Sorento is almost entirely new -- 80 percent new parts, on a redesigned platform that's 18 percent stiffer, with the most noticeable change being LED lights on revised bumpers refreshingly devoid of black plastic. That oh-so-familiar shape, however, does an admirable job of disguising the newness within. One journalist, after eyeballing the Kia Sorento relentlessly, asked that if Kia was so proud of this new Sorento, why didn't they change the bit in the middle?

"Uh," said a Kia PR executive, "because it works."

Yet the Sorento, a familiar face since production began in Georgia in 2011, is new enough for Kia to fly us out to the roads of Scottsdale, Ariz., for a test drive. We stopped on the side of Highway 177 to contemplate the state's grotesque, alienlike copper mines -- entire valleys carved out of the earth, stepped cliffs that resemble Mesopotamian ziggurats, where the humans carve out their destinies among the rocks. And along the way, we found a smoother, more luxurious Sorento, a crossover that receives a new interior and even greater levels of refinement. A redesigned dashboard is less blocky and features softer, friendlier edges and easier-to-read controls. The fake wood trim is still fake, but now it's sparkly -- seriously. UVO eServices, Kia's connected infotainment system, directs Internet radio and vehicle diagnostics into our faces via a larger, higher-resolution screen. The rear seats perform some admirable tricks: they recline, fold flat forward, and can even be optioned up with heaters. And on the company's mission to develop enough luxury features to make a 1990s Mercedes contemplate mortality, a loaded SX Limited can be optioned with 19-inch chrome wheels, heated and cooled front seats on napa leather, second-row window blinds, an even larger panoramic roof, and a 550-watt, 12-speaker Infinity audio system.

These all come at a price -- $39,700 with the goodies heretofore described. "Forty grand?" some might kvetch. Fear not -- even at a base price of $24,100, the Sorento is comfortable and practical, more than capable of hauling some miners and their copper for the day. It won't carry as much as a Caterpillar 797F, but it'll be cheaper to run and actually fit on freeways.

What's it like to drive?

The big change for 2014 is that both of the Sorento's engines are now direct-injection: a 3.3-liter V6 produces 290 horsepower, while a 2.4-liter inline-four furnishes LX models. Power is adequate across both engines, with the V6 being a premium in both price and luxury. It can tow up to 3,500 lbs, if you're into that sort of thing, but economy-minded buyers will presumably spring for the smaller, 191-horsepower four. They will receive a fine engine with good highway passing power and leisurely gearing, aimed toward its 20/26 city and highway MPG rating.

Kia's AWD system features torque on demand to the rear wheels around corners, with an electronic locking center differential for apocalyptic weather and off-road fantasies. On the sunny roads of Scottsdale it was completely unobtrusive. Flex Steer makes an appearance here, with adjustable electronic steering to switch between firm (Sport) and yacht-like (Comfort) resistance. Normal mode will do just fine, thank you. And here the steering is light and accurate, albeit unenthusiastic. The suspension can be best described as squishy, but the ride was comfortable enough.

Otherwise, the Sorento is a pleasant place to be, albeit with some niggles. Some of the trim pieces didn't line up, and the leather felt rough across the seats. The steering wheel's bumpy stitching literally feels like a quaint anachronism, with many of the Sorento's competitors -- over at Honda, for example -- exorcising the bumps. And no matter what Kia says about the stiffer platform, other crossovers like the Ford Edge impart a stronger feeling of solidarity: blame the light steering and squishy suspension that belies the Sorento's 3500-plus curb weight a little too well.

Do I want one?

Kia competes on value, and certainly the Sorento is a good one across its price range. Yet the company has been on a luxury binge of late, and it's noticeable: one can walk into a dealership and order a $34,500 midsize sedan with the red oval badge and those same lugg-jury features described above. Witness the rise of the Cadenza, a luxury sedan coming to American shores that reflects how Kia just couldn't resist grabbing their own version of a Genesis from Hyundai. And now that the Sorento is the top dog in Kia's SUV/crossover lineup, it needs to make its mark.

To wit: you might not buy a $39,100 Sorento, but you could. What's more American than choice?